A number of devices for removing grease, oil, fat, floatable solids, and other relatively buoyant materials from denser fluids have been suggested in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,239, discloses a method and apparatus for separating oil from water in which mixed fluid is passed through a spiral passage to a pair of concentric but vertically displaced outlets for lighter and heavier fluids. In this device, the fluid appears to remain trapped within the confines of the spiral passage, and does not flow over it. Other devices, such as the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,083,861, introduce a mixture of gasoline and water into a chamber and pass the fluid through series of baffles to separate the fluids. This device appears to be a sealed assembly that can not be easily cleaned, and appears unsuitable for treating fluids that may be contaminated with solids that may accumulate within the device. The foregoing references are incorporated herein.
The present invention provides unique and novel features and systems relating to buoyant material traps and the like, and such features and systems may be used independently or integrated into known or otherwise conventional devices to provide novel variations thereof.